


Two Damn Minutes (And I'll Be Fine)

by givebackmylifecas



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Cas is a great cheerleader, Castiel/Dean Winchester First Kiss, Cheerleader Castiel (Supernatural), Cheerleaders, College, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Humour, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Minor Injuries, Physiotherapist Dean, dean is smitten
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:14:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23385802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/givebackmylifecas/pseuds/givebackmylifecas
Summary: The college’s physiotherapist was Sam’s older brother and while he was popular with the girls for being well, in their words ‘sex on a stick’, he was also well known for not being particularly nice to cheerleaders. Castiel had only been to see him once, when he had landed funny after a flip and Crowley wanted Dean to confirm that yes, Castiel did actually need to go to the ER. That one time had been enough to cement in Castiel’s mind that while Dean Winchester was in fact, ‘sex on a stick’, he also didn’t seem to think that cheerleading was a real sport.AKA the Cheerleader Cas/Physiotherapist Dean AU that absolutely no one asked for
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Jessica Moore/Sam Winchester
Comments: 27
Kudos: 84





	1. Not Pain, It's Applause

**Author's Note:**

> Alright so I may have watched too much Cheer over the weekend, but it finally inspired me to write a new Destiel fic so that's good right? Anyway I know nothing of cheerleading, physiotherapy, or American uni life so feel free to point out any and all glaring mistakes.
> 
> Work title from the Amazing Devil song "Two Minutes" which is amazing and totally a Destiel song.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from the Amazing Devil song "Battle Cries"
> 
> TWs: for mild homophobia mentioned in passing

The problem, Castiel thinks as he watches Anna twist in the air above him, her body controlled and graceful in her descent, is that his family just aren’t able to understand what cheerleading means to him, because they never got to experience the joy of a stunt that’s gone well. Anna lands on his and Balthazar’s arms with a thud and they use the momentum to bounce her back onto her feet.

They stand, all of them sweating and breathless, waiting for Coach Crowley to speak. There’s twenty of them, all of them at the peak of their cheer careers, part of Edlund College’s all-star, multi-championship-winning cheer team and they’ve given the ridiculously complicated routine that Crowley came up with their all, but he’s just staring at them like they’ve taken a shit on his favourite rug.

“That,” Crowley says, "was pathetic. My grandmother could do a better pyramid than that.”

As always, he sounds like he has a sore throat, but he doesn’t have to yell to get his point across. Castiel’s stomach curls with disappointment. Their run-through had been flawless, everyone had done exactly as they were supposed to. Crowley is notoriously hard to please, but this year – Castiel’s third year on the team – he seems especially unsatisfied.

Crowley gives them all a once-over, his lip curling. “Get out of my sight, I’ll see you at eight sharp tomorrow morning.”

There are audible sighs as he turns on his heel and stomps out of the gym and his assistant coach Sam steps forward. Sam is only a few years older than Castiel, being an alumnus of Edlund and a former member of Crowley’s cheer team, before he was kept on to help out with coaching. He smiles and pushes his floppy hair out of his eyes. Castiel smirks when next to him, Jess shuffles a little. Her crush is obvious to everyone except Sam.

“That was really great guys, I think we’re going to crush the competition this year! I want you all to get a good night’s rest and have a big breakfast tomorrow, because Crowley wants us to do six full run-throughs tomorrow.” There’s a collective groan at Sam’s words and he offers them a commiserating smile. “I know, I know. I also want Jess and Hannah to ice their ankles this evening, I know that you’ve already been told this, so it’s just a reminder.” Castiel winces, looking down at Jess’ ankle. She rolled it pretty good a week ago and the constant training hasn’t really given her the time she needs to rest up. While the rest of the college is enjoying their spring break, Castiel and his teammates are going through what is known as ‘Hell Week’, seven days of non-stop practice. The team looks ready to disband and Cas’ thoughts are already on his dinner, when Sam calls his name.

“What’s up, Coach?” he asks and Sam rolls his eyes.

“You know I’m not your actual coach, Castiel.” Cas shrugs and Sam grins. “Whatever. Look, I saw you during those baskets, I thought your wrist was good?”

Castiel looks at the floor. “It’s fine.”

Sam puts a hand on his shoulder. “You’re a terrible liar, Cas. You need to tell us if it’s causing you pain. You shouldn’t risk damaging yourself – even for cheer.”

“I’ll be fine, I promise. It’s just not been the same since I broke it last year,” Cas says.

“Fine,” Sam sighs. “But I want you to go see Dean, get him to give you the all clear.”

Cas groans internally. The college’s physiotherapist was Sam’s older brother and while he was popular with the girls for being well, in their words ‘sex on a stick’, he was also well known for not being particularly nice to cheerleaders. Castiel had only been to see him once, when he had landed funny after a flip and Crowley wanted Dean to confirm that yes, Castiel did actually need to go to the ER. That one time had been enough to cement in Castiel’s mind that while Dean Winchester was in fact, ‘sex on a stick’, he also didn’t seem to think that cheerleading was a real sport.

In fact, being around Dean had been an awful lot like being around his uber-conservative family who also didn’t approve of him cheerleading – although in fairness to Dean, that was more to do with their homophobia and horror of having a gay son than the sport itself.

“Come on,” Sam says, when Castiel doesn’t move. “I’ll take you myself. I know you, you won’t go otherwise.”

Cas protests, but Sam just rolls his eyes and gently shoves him in the direction of Dean’s office.

It’s deep in the warren of hallways that lead away from the main gym and practice rooms, and Sam keeps up some small talk about the upcoming competition and how good the pyramid looks. When they reach Dean’s office, Sam just saunters right in and they’re met with an annoyed – and very shirtless – Dean Winchester.

“Dammit Sammy, what have I told you about knocking?” he growls, pulling a t-shirt over his head – although not before Castiel has got a good look at the tattoo on his muscled chest and the slight pudge across his belly.

Sam just laughs. “Why are you getting changed without locking the door first?”

Dean shrugs. “Thought everyone was gone. It’s late. Is Fergus making you guys work through the night?”

Castiel frowns at hearing Crowley addressed by his first name, he didn’t think anyone called him anything but Crowley.

“Nah,” Sam assures his brother. “We’re done just now, but I wanted you to take a look at Cas. He’s one of my stumblers.” Dean’s eyebrows knit together in confusion. “He’s a stunter and a tumbler,” Sam adds and Dean nods.

“Hey, I know you. You’re the kid that broke his wrist last year, right?” Dean asks, fixing very green eyes on Castiel. Cas nods. Dean gestures for him to come closer and Cas takes a step towards him, holding his right arm out in front of him, almost defensively. “It’s still causing you issues?” Dean asks.

“Not really,” Cas says at the same time as Sam says: “Yeah, he’s still in pain.”

Dean looks between them and rolls his eyes, looking just as unimpressed as he had when Castiel saw him last year. “You still in pain? Don’t lie this time.”

Cas clenches his jaw and nods. “When I catch the girls when we’re doing baskets. And when I push off from the ground during flips.”

Dean grunts, but doesn’t respond, manipulating Cas’ wrist with much more gentle hands than Cas had expected. He has him flex his hand, make it into a fist, roll it in a circle. It all feels fine until Dean has him press against his hand. Castiel laces his fingers through Dean’s so that they’re palm to palm and when he presses hard against Dean’s hand, he’s unable to hide the hiss that escapes through his lips as pain lances up his arm.

Sam looks worried, biting his lip. “What do you think?”

Dean disentangles himself from Cas, who finds himself embarrassed to realise that he was still effectively holding hands with Dean. “I think that he probably went back to training too quickly last year and the fracture either never healed completely or it healed wrong. Best case scenario, he sits out training and wears a brace. Worst case, his wrist needs to be re-broken and he gets another cast afterwards.”

“How could you possibly know that without an x-ray?” Cas asks and Dean scowls at him.

“I’ve been doing this job for a while, kid. And I know how quickly Fergus wrecks you guys. Want my advice? Quit, take time to heal up and go back next year.”

“No,” Cas says immediately.

Sam holds out a placating hand. “Cas, maybe you should see a doctor? They can x-ray you and tell you what your options are.”

Cas shakes his head. “No. I missed championships last year cause of my broken wrist, I won’t miss them again. And you know the minute I go to a doctor, insurance gets involved and if the doctor says I can’t compete, even Crowley won’t let me.”

Sam sighs, but Castiel knows that Sam is aware that the only thing Crowley is scared of is the college getting sued.

“You’re an idiot,” Dean tells him and just rolls his eyes when Cas glares at him.

“Dean,” Sam says chastisingly. He turns to Cas. “You can go home, Cas. Go rest up.”

Castiel throws Dean one last dirty look, before stomping out of the office.

When he gets back to his dorm, Balthazar is already there, lounging on his bed. Castiel is glad they’re roommates this year, instead of the football player he’d had to share with last year, or his bible-thumping cousin Uriel the year before.

“How’d it go with Dr Sexy?” Balthazar asks, when Cas collapses onto his own bed.

“He’s not a doctor,” Cas growls, his voice muffled by the pillow his face is currently buried in.

Balthazar laughs. “Let me guess? He told you not to train anymore.”

Cas looks up to nod. “Yeah, how’d you know?”

“Come now, Cassie,” Balthazar says, sounding especially condescending tonight. “Everyone knows that Dean Winchester, despite being incredibly hot, is also a total wuss. Always tells everyone not to go back to training, thinks we’ll break or something.”

“He called Crowley Fergus,” Castiel says and Balthazar looks intrigued.

“Interesting,” he says. “They must know each other quite well. Do you think they used to… you know?”

“Ew,” Cas exclaims and Balthazar laughs. “Definitely not. There’s no way Dean isn’t straight and if he were gay or bi, why on Earth would he go out with Crowley?”

“The heart wants what it wants, Cassie,” Balthazar says, trying and failing to sound wise and Castiel throws a pillow at him.

* * *

Castiel’s day doesn’t get off to a great start. Both he and Balthazar sleep in, exhausted from practice and then Castiel discovers he doesn’t have any clean sweat pants left. With the amount of training they’re doing at the moment – and the amount Castiel is sweating - there’s no way he can wear anything from the days before. They’re dangerously close to running late and will have to skip breakfast as is, so he reluctantly accepts the shorts Balthazar chucks at him. They’re a bit tight and definitely too short, but beggars can’t be choosers. Cas is just grateful that they make it to practise on time. He shudders to think what Crowley would do to them if they were late today.

As luck would have it, Crowley isn’t even there yet. Instead, Sam is waiting with lattes for all of them.

Castiel is gratefully drinking his coffee when Dean walks into the gym. Meg stops talking mid-sentence to stare, but over in a corner with the flyers Jess, Hannah, Anna, and Ruby, Sam doesn’t even notice his brother walking in.

Castiel nearly chokes on his coffee when Dean waves him over. Balthazar raises an eyebrow and Cas shrugs as he hands him his cup and jogs over to wear Dean is waiting.

“Hello, Dean,” he says and the physiotherapist nods at him.

“Nice shorts, Cas,” Dean says and Castiel honestly can’t tell if he’s joking.

He tugs the hem a little lower, knowing they’ve already ridden up. “Um, thanks. So… what’s up?”

Dean holds up a roll of tape. “Sam asked me to tape you up for training today, since you’re a dumbass and won’t go to the ER.”

Castiel blinks, surprised. “Oh. That’s nice of him.”

Dean scowls, looking for all the world like he’d rather be anywhere else. “Yeah. Hand.” He gestures impatiently and Castiel sticks his hand out. Dean tapes his wrist up quickly and efficiently. When he’s done, Cas can’t move his hand as much, but he does feel more supported.

“Thanks,” he says quietly and Dean nods.

“Sure, come by my office before practise tomorrow and I’ll sort you out again, alright?”

Cas nods frantically. Dean never offers to help the cheer squad, usually getting his assistant Charlie to tape them up. “Yes, thank you, Dean.”

Dean shrugs and heads towards the door. Just as he reaches them, Crowley walks in. Castiel swears the two men look like feral cats as they circle each other.

“Fergus,” Dean says tersely.

Crowley smiles. “Squirrel,” he replies and Dean scowls, before storming out of the gym.

Castiel returns to the mat and shakes his head when Balthazar mouths ‘squirrel’ at him questioningly. The whole team has stopped what they’re doing to watch, but quickly acts like they weren’t when Crowley saunters over.

“What are you all staring at? Start warming up!” he roars and they come to life as if electrified.

Four and half hours later and every part of Castiel’s body aches. His wrist is throbbing and his stomach is tying itself into knots, making him regret sleeping in and missing breakfast. He almost sobs with relief when Crowley announces they can have 45 minutes for lunch.

He finds himself next to Sam as they all make their way out of the gym. “Thank you,” he says and Sam frowns.

“What for, Cas?”

Castiel holds up his taped wrist. “Thanks for getting Dean to tape me up this morning, it’s still not great, but my wrist isn’t as bad as it was yesterday.”

Sam looks even more confused. “I didn’t ask Dean to –“ He’s interrupted by Crowley calling his name and he groans. “Guess I don’t get lunch after all. See you later, Cas.”

He runs back into the gym leaving Cas feeling extremely confused.

“What’s wrong with you?” Balthazar asks, when Cas catches up with him and Meg.

Cas shakes his head and thankfully Balthazar doesn’t ask him any more questions. Meg side-eyes him, but remains silent too.

Crowley seems to be in an exceptionally bad mood after lunch and Castiel is half convinced that he’s not going to make it out of the gym alive. Finally training ends, though not before Crowley yells at them all again.

“I cannot believe you. You’re the EDLUND ANGELS! You are DEFENDING CHAMPIONS! The National Championships are in A WEEK and you lot are pissing about like this is a FUCKING GAME!” He’s bright red in the face and panting almost as much as the team when he’s finished. Jess has tears in her eyes and even Meg, standing right next to Cas, is trembling.

They leave the gym, dejected, and prepared for more of the same tomorrow.

Castiel wants nothing more than to shower and then sleep for twelve hours, but he knows if he wants to avoid wearing whatever else is in Balthazar’s slightly frightening closet he’s going to have to do laundry. Once he’s eaten, he drags his laundry bag to the building across from his dorm that houses the laundry machines.

He shoves his load in and can’t muster the energy to go back to his dorm – mostly because he knows if he sits on his bed, he’ll never get back up again to move his stuff to the dryer – so he just collapses onto the floor next to his machine.

He’s tired enough to nod off, because next thing he knows there’s a loud beeping next to his head and his eyes are blinking open to find that he’s no longer alone in the laundry room.

Dean Winchester is standing next to him, stuffing laundry into the machine next to Castiel’s.

“Dean?” he asks, head tilting in confusion.

Dean actually looks a little flustered. “Oh, hi Cas.”

“Hello,” Castiel says, slowly getting to his feet. “What are you doing here?”

Dean looks like he’d very much prefer not to answer that question and instead says: “Why are you sleeping on the floor of the laundry room? Roommate kick you out?”

“Um no. I’m just really tired and I have to do laundry before tomorrow,” Castiel says, transferring his laundry to the dryer.

Dean nods, turning on the washing machine. “Fair enough.”

“So,” Castiel starts and Dean raises an eyebrow. “What are you doing here?”

“You already asked that,” Dean says and Castiel scowls, sitting back down.

“Yes, and you didn’t answer.”

Dean rolls his eyes and Cas is prepared for the physiotherapist to just turn and leave. Instead, Dean surprises him by flopping onto the floor next to him. “It’s a long story.”

Castiel glances up at the timer on the dryer. “I’ve got an hour and a half.”

Dean snorts a laugh. “Yeah alright. Just promise not to tell Sammy, okay?”

“Sure,” Cas says, frowning.

“Me and my girlfriend broke up,” Dean says it quickly, as if the words hurt to say.

“Oh,” Castiel isn’t really sure how to reply, or why Sam can’t know. “Um, I’m sorry?”

Dean makes a noise that sounds like it wants to be a laugh but isn’t. “Yeah don’t be, turns out I’m better off without her.” At Castiel’s questioning look he continues. “She dumped me because she found out about one of my past relationships.”

“Did you cheat?” Cas asks bluntly and immediately regrets it at the hurt look on Dean’s face.

“Jesus, no.”

“I’m sorry,” Castiel says quickly and Dean scowls, but continues.

“I didn’t cheat. She found out I used to date a guy and said I’d lied to her. Said that I ‘wasn’t the person she thought I was’.”

He sounds upset, but a part of Castiel is suddenly very fixated on the thought that Dean isn’t straight after all. “So… you’re bi?” he asks cautiously.

Next to him, Dean tenses. “Yeah. That gonna be a problem?”

“No,” Cas says quietly, shaking his head. “It isn’t.”

Dean sighs. “Right, cheer. I forgot.”

Something about the way he says it reminds Cas a little too much of his brother Michael and makes his hackles rise. “We aren’t all gay just because we’re cheerleaders you know.”

Dean goes red. “No I know that, Jesus, Sammy’s straight as an arrow – I think. Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I just meant that you guys are more… accepting I guess.”

“Right,” Castiel nods. “But, um, for the record? I am.”

Dean frowns. “You are what?”

Castiel sighs. “Gay. I’m gay, Dean.”

“Oh. That’s um, that’s cool.”

They’re quiet for a few moments, then Cas frowns. “Wait, so why can’t I tell Sam? Doesn’t he know you’re bi?” For Dean’s sake, he hopes that isn’t the case. He knows how hard it is to not be out to your family.

Dean, to Castiel’s surprise laughs. “Oh God no. No, no, we shared a room growing up, there was no way for him not to know.”

“Oh,” Castiel says, then wrinkles his nose when he realises just what Dean was implying “Ew”

Dean laughs again and Castiel finds himself wanting to hear him laugh more. “Yeah, poor kid saw some stuff before he learned what a sock on the door meant. But no, I just…” He looks more serious now. “This thing with Lisa? It’s the longest relationship I’ve managed to have and Sam keeps saying how glad he is that I finally have some stability in my life and how proud of me he is. I guess I’m just not ready to disappoint him again.”

Castiel fights the overwhelming urge to hug Dean, who suddenly doesn’t seem so intimidating, sitting on the floor next to him in sweatpants, looking for all the world like a kicked puppy. “I don’t think he’d be disappointed, Dean.”

“Yeah? Well I’m a 28 year old man who’s never had a relationship that lasted longer than six months and is now living in a shitty studio apartment that doesn’t even have a washing machine.” Dean sighs and scrubs a hand over his face. “To answer your question, that’s why I’m here. I don’t have my own machine anymore and the one in my building makes all my laundry smell like dead cat.”

“That… sucks,” Castiel says quietly. “But it isn’t your fault and… well, I don’t think any of that makes you any less of a good person. You’re a pretty good physiotherapist.”

“You think?” Dean asks with a half-hearted grin. “Then why won’t any of you cheer-people take my advice.”

Castiel shrugs with a laugh. “We all want to make mat and we all want to compete in the championships.”

“Yeah I know, it’s all Sammy ever talks about,” Dean says, sounding slightly resentful. “That and some chick named Jess,” he adds with a grin.

Castiel laughs, glad to hear that Jess’ crush isn’t unrequited after all.

Dean stays on the floor with him and they talk until the dryer finally finishes its cycle and signals to Castiel that it’s done. Cas yawns and stretches as he gets to his feet. By the end, he had almost been nodding off again.

He stuffs his warm, dry laundry bag into his bag, not bothering to fold it.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Dean,” he says, shouldering his bag as Dean transfers his own clothing into the dryer.

Dean smiles. “Yeah, see you tomorrow Cas.”

When Cas gets back to his dorm Balthazar is already fast asleep, snoring lightly. Cas is envious and only just manages to make it through a quick shower without falling asleep. He collapses into his bed naked and still slightly damp. He dreams of green eyes and endless backflips while Crowley yells at him to not be a useless pelican.


	2. Can I sleep in your brain?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from the Ezra Furman song 'Can I Sleep In Your Brain?'
> 
> TWs: for mild injury, mention of some homophobia

Balthazar’s alarm wakes him the next morning and he groans. Everything still hurts and he really wants to sleep for a week, but he doesn’t want to miss breakfast again, so he drags himself out of bed, thankful that at least he can dress in his normal sweatpants again.

The rest of the team is quiet at breakfast in the cafeteria, everyone too tired to ask many questions, something he’s extremely grateful for when he has to leave fifteen minutes early. He finds himself looking forward to seeing Dean as he heads to the physiotherapist’s office. The man seems a lot nicer now that he had gotten to know him, although he still doesn’t seem to be a fan of cheering.

He knocks on the office door when he gets there, traitorous brain flashing back to the image of Dean shirtless last time he was here. He opens the door when Dean tells him to and flashes the other man a bright smile.

“Good morning,” he says cheerfully and Dean takes a long swig from his mug, before speaking.

“How the hell are you this perky already?” he asks grouchily and Castiel’s smile fades a little. Maybe the closeness he had felt in the laundry room had been a one-time thing?

“I um… sorry. I just came to get my wrist taped?” he asks cautiously.

Dean nods and yawns widely. “Yeah, no problem. Sorry, not a morning person.”

Castiel smiles hesitantly. Maybe he needed to stop underestimating Dean. Dean takes another long swig of coffee, before pulling a roll of tape from a drawer. He tapes Castiel’s wrist up just like he did the day before, but Cas feels like maybe Dean’s hands linger a little longer than they had, fingers brushing Castiel’s when he finishes.

“There, you should be good to go,” Dean says when he’s done. “Although I’m going to repeat my recommendation that you shouldn’t be training at all.”

Cas rolls his eyes and doesn’t bother to respond. Dean grins a little mischievously.

Cas grabs his bag and is about to leave when he remembers the conversation he had with Sam yesterday.

“Dean?” he asks carefully.

“Yeah?”

Dean is peering at him curiously. “Did Sam really ask you to tape me up yesterday?”

Dean takes a moment to reply, but Castiel definitely isn’t imagining the way his face flushes. “Yeah of course he did. Why do you ask?”

For a moment, Castiel considers pushing the issue, but instead he shakes his head. “No reason, sorry. Thanks for this.” He holds his bandaged hand up and waves it a little.

Dean clears his throat and smiles hesitantly. “Sure, no problem Cas.”

Castiel feels a little dazed as he leaves. Unfortunately for him, it means he makes it to training approximately 30 seconds after Crowley.

“Novak! You’re late!” Crowley barks at him and Castiel swallows.

“I’m sorry Coach, Dean was taping my wrist up for me.”

Crowley’s eyes flick to Castiel’s wrist and then back up again. “Not a good enough excuse, Mr. Novak. But since you went to all that trouble, why don’t you make sure that Winchester did his job properly. Fifty push-ups. Now.”

Cas drops his bag and hoodie at the side and he can hear Sam protesting as he lowers himself onto the mat. Push-ups are exactly the sort of exercise that aggravate his injury and he’s sure Crowley knows that.

He grits his teeth and bears it through the worst of the pain, but by the time he’s done his wrist is so sore he doesn’t know how he’s supposed to take part in the rest of the training. Still there’s nothing for it, so he pushes through for the rest of the day. At least Sam goes and gets him an ice-pack during lunch as well as a couple of ibuprofen.

By the end of the day, Castiel is shaking with exertion and just wants to curl up and not wake again for at least a year.

Back in their dorm, Balthazar gives him the strong painkillers he still has from when he bruised his ribs a few months ago and Castiel falls asleep with an icepack still on his wrist.

The next two days are just as bad, with Crowley putting them through what feels like actual hell. Castiel has to keep his visits to Dean’s office short to avoid being punished again, but he finds that those ten minutes with Dean and his gentle, competent fingers skimming over his hands are the highlight of his day.

Things hit an all-time low on Saturday.

Crowley has them come in earlier than planned which means that Castiel can’t see Dean beforehand and his wrist feels strangely vulnerable without the tape. Still, things are fine until Crowley demands they do a full run-through after lunch.

Castiel makes it through his tumbling part, ignoring the twinge in his wrist when he pushes off the ground and into his second backflip. When they do the baskets, his wrist begins to send sharp, stabbing pain up his forearm. He has just thrown Anna into the air and is waiting in position for her to come down like they’ve practised a thousand times. Except something is a little off this time and when her feet land in his hands, his wrist suddenly gives way and she comes crashing down. Her legs fly out from under her and Castiel earns a knee to the face.

He goes down hard, landing flat on his back. He registers Balthazar catching Anna before she can crash onto the hard mat, but everything around him goes a little blurry after that.

He hears Sam yelling for someone to get Charlie, but then Hannah is there, saying: “We can’t get Charlie, she’s out with the baseball team today.”

Sam curses, kneeling down next to Cas. “Fine, then get Dean, he should be in his office. Go!”

Behind Sam, Crowley is yelling about incompetency and Castiel closes his eyes with a groan.

“No, Cas, come on. You can’t close your eyes. Open them buddy, come on.” Cas’ eyes blink open and Sam smiles. “That’s it, stay awake now.”

“’M tired,” he slurs and Sam’s smile disappears, although that might just be because Cas’ eyes are sliding shut again. Sam calls his name, but Castiel is so very, very tired. Someone shakes him though, and when he opens his eyes again, Dean is there.

“Hello Dean,” Cas mumbles and Dean smiles.

“Hey Cas,” he says, his eyes serious despite the smile. “Let’s get you sorted out, shall we.”

“Yeah,” Cas agrees amiably. “Need to get back to training.”

Dean snorts. “Yeah, maybe not, can you sit up for me?” Cas struggles a little until Dean slides a supportive arm around his shoulders. “That’s it, very good. Now, what day is it?”

Cas blinks a little, eyes trying to focus on Dean’s face which suddenly seems very close to his. “Thursday? No. Friday. Maybe Sunday?”

Deans sighs. “Alright, I think you and I need to take a little trip.”

“A trip? Where?” Castiel tries to ask, but Dean is talking to Sam over his head. Suddenly Cas is being hoisted to his feet between the two Winchester brothers.

Balthazar appears in front of him like a startled, English ghost and Cas giggles a little at his own assessment of his friend. “Cassie, darling, do you want me to come with you?”

Dean makes a disgruntled noise to Cas’ left and Cas shakes his head, something he quickly regrets when it causes blinding pain to flash through his head and bile to rise in his throat.

“He’ll be okay,” Sam tells Balthazar. “You need to stay here and finish up training, alright?”

Balthazar nods. “I’ll see you at home, Cassie. Call if you need anything.” And then he is gone, darting out of Castiel’s field of vision.

The journey from the gym to what Castiel assumes is Dean’s car, hulking black machine that it is, seems to take hours and only last seconds. Sam helps him into the passenger seat and even buckles him in. “Wait, where exactly am I going?” Castiel asks, about 90% sure that no one has told him yet.

“The ER you dumbass,” Dean says, sliding into the driver’s seat. “You have a concussion.”

“No, I can’t go to the ER,” Cas says and he suspects he might sound a little whiny. “I have to train.”

Dean guns the engine and pulls out of the parking lot, waving at Sam who doesn’t seem to be coming with them. “Not with a concussion you can’t. You’re going to get a scan to make sure you don’t have any internal bleeding and then I’m taking you home. Okay?”

He sounds serious enough that Cas agrees. “Alright,” he says, remembering not to nod this time.

The drive to the ER is quiet, mostly punctuated by Dean poking him in the shoulder and telling him not to fall asleep.

As always, the ER at Lawrence Memorial is packed and despite Dean arguing with the nurse, they’re still told to wait. Dean takes the clipboard and pen he’s handed and guides Cas into one of the few remaining seats.

“Okay, buddy, we just need to fill in this form so I’m going to need your help with this, okay?”

“Sure,” Cas says as Dean sits down next to him.

“Right. Name?”

“Castiel,” Cas is a little offended that Dean doesn’t remember.

He thinks Dean laughs. “Yeah buddy, I know. What’s your last name?”

“Oh, um, it’s Novak.”

“Good. Birthday?”

“Nineteenth of September”

"Year?"

"Um... I'm twenty-one"

Dean sighs. "Right, guess I'll do the maths myself."

“Any allergies?”

“Nope,” Castiel says, eyes sliding shut as if of their own accord.

Dean taps his knee. “Nuh-uh buddy, no sleeping. Any pre-existing health conditions?”

“Um,” Castiel takes a moment to think. Finally he holds up his wrist. “Sore wrist,” he says and this time Dean definitely laughs.

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s what they mean.” Dean takes a hold of Castiel’s wrist. “Actually that looks pretty bad. What have you been doing? I told you to take it easy.”

“Crowley made me do push ups. And you couldn’t tape it this morning,” Cas says sadly. “Crowley moved practice forward and you’re not a morning person.”

“I’m going to kill him,” Dean growls, but then seems to shake himself out of it. “I’ll handle him later.” He looks down at the form. “Right, next of kin and emergency contact. I’m gonna assume that’s your parents?”

Castiel laughs at that this time, even though it isn’t funny. “God no. They hate me.”

“What?” Dean asks. “No Cas, I’m sure they don’t hate you.”

Cas would nod if he could. “No they do, they told me. Said they can’t love a gay son, especially one who cheerleads.”

Dean is quiet for so long that Castiel almost falls asleep again. “Sounds like your parents and my dad have a lot in common.”

“Parents suck,” Cas says sagely and Dean sighs.

“Yeah. So, who is your emergency contact then?”

“Balthazar,” Castiel says semi-confidently.

Dean shifts in his seat. “Is he… Is he your boyfriend?”

Cas giggles. “Nah. Balthazar is the kind of person who prefers… how do you say it? A menage-à-douze. I prefer someone who’ll stick with me and only me. Balthazar is just my roommate.”

“Oh. Okay.” Dean sounds kind of pleased, which pleases Castiel although he isn’t sure why.

They make it through the rest of the form fairly quickly and then Dean has to leave Cas to give it back to the nurse. When he returns, Cas is nearly asleep again.

They finally get to see a doctor about half an hour later and Cas does his best to wave at Dean as he is carted off for tests. Dean gives him a half-smile and waves back and the nurse leading Cas away giggles, making Cas scowl.

He doesn’t like the scan and the doctor asks him a lot of very stupid questions. Eventually he’s given some pain killers and allowed to go home.

“There’s no bleeding,” the doctor tells Dean. “But he’ll need someone to stay with him for the next few hours and overnight as well. He needs to be woken every couple of hours.”  
Dean nods and escorts Cas back to the car.

“Do you know what time training was supposed to finish today?” Dean asks when they’re both belted in and on their way out of the hospital carpark.

It takes Cas’ sluggish brain a moment to sort through the words and answer him. “Um, around eight I think. Crowley wanted at least twelve hours of practice.”

Dean nods. “It’s just gone three now so I guess your roommate won’t be back for a while. Which means I’ll have to stay with you for a bit. That okay with you?”

Cas shrugs. “Sure, s’long as I can sleep.”

Dean reaches over and pats his knee. “Yeah you can, buddy. I just have to wake you up every now and then, alright?”

“That’s fine,” Cas sighs, settling back into the leather seat. Then he suddenly remembers his bag, including his keys are still in the gym. “Wait, I don’t have my keys or anything. How are we going to get into my dorm?”

“No don’t worry about it,” Dean soothes. “Sam put your stuff in the backseat before we left.” Castiel very carefully twists in his seat and quickly verifies the statement as true. “See? It’s all good. Now, which dorm do you live in?”

“Um, Cain. They’re the ones closest to the gym.”

Dean huffs. “Of course they are.”

“What’s your problem with cheerleaders?” Cas asks, tired of Dean’s derision. “It’s a serious sport you know. Just because we don’t spend our time chasing after balls and hitting things with bats doesn’t mean we’re all just dancing bimbo-monkeys!”

Dean’s mouth twitches. “Bimbo-monkeys?”

Cas scowls at him. “You know what I mean.”

“Yeah,” Dean sighs, pulling into the parking lot closest to Cas’ dorm. He puts the car in park and then turns to face Cas. “Look, this is a conversation we can have. But maybe not when you have a moderately severe concussion, alright?”

Cas wants to argue but he really is very tired and just wants to lie in his bed, in the dark, and not think. “Alright.”

Dean smiles. “Good. And for the record? I don’t think you’re ‘dancing bimbo-monkeys’ or whatever else it is you think I think you are. My brother is your assistant coach and he had a 4.0 GPA basically his entire life. Okay?”

Cas only just stops himself from nodding. “Okay.”

“Good, now let’s get you into bed.”

In any other situation, a man who looks like Dean talking about getting him into bed would have Cas stuttering and falling over his feet, but now all it elicits is a faint blush. Dean gets out of the car and circles round to get Cas, grabbing his bag from the back and slinging it over his shoulder. “C’mon you, let’s go,” Dean says, wrapping an arm around Cas’ waist when dizziness overcomes him and nearly has him face-planting onto the asphalt.

Together they make their way into Cas’ building and into the lift.

“Where are your keys?” Dean asks, pulling Cas’ bag around his arm so that he can access it better.

“Front pocket,” Cas mumbles, eyes shut tightly against the fluorescent lights. He hears Dean rummaging around in the bag and then a little noise of triumph just as the lift doors slide open. Cas stumbles after Dean and into his room, still keeping his eyes mostly closed, and takes a moment to thank a God he doesn’t really believe in anymore that he doesn’t have any dirty underwear lying about.

“Which one is yours?” Dean asks, gesturing at the beds. Cas points at the unmade one on the left and Dean deposits his bag next to it. On the other side of the room, Balthazar’s bed is perfectly made up, not a wrinkle in the ridiculously expensive silk sheets he insists on sleeping in. Cas lowers himself onto his bed and tries to get his shoes off without bending over. It proves extremely difficult, but then Dean, who had been across the room drawing the blinds, is suddenly kneeling in front of him and untying the laces for him.

“Thank you,” Cas mumbles and Dean smiles up at him.

“All part of the job,” he says, pulling Cas’ shoes off. “There you go, lie down now.”

Cas does as he’s told, but can’t resist saying: “No it’s not.”

Dean is looking between Balthazar’s immaculate bed and the floor and seems to decide on the latter, because he sits cross-legged on the floor next to Cas’ head. “What isn’t?”

“S’not your job. Sam told me he didn’t tell you to tape me up in the mornings.”

Dean is quiet for a moment. “No, he didn’t,” he eventually admits.

“Then why did you do it?” Cas’ head no longer throbs and a wave of tiredness washes over him as he relaxes in his darkened room.

“Let’s add that one to the conversation we need to have later too, alright?”

“Alright,” Cas sighs, already mostly asleep.

The last thing he takes notice of before he is dragged under is a cool hand brushing across his forehead, smoothing out the frown he didn’t even realise he was wearing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this! Next chapter should be up soon, featuring:  
> \- Cas and Dean having a conversation  
> \- Sam and Cas also having a conversation  
> \- Cas being very confused  
> \- Dean being very smitten  
> \- Sam being 1000% done with both of them


	3. Makes me want more of you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from the Chris Stapleton song "More of You"
> 
> TWs: homophobia (same as other chapters), mention of past threatened child-abuse,

Castiel wakes to the blaring of Balthazar’s alarm. He groans when he opens his eyes, blinking at the light filtering in through the flimsy curtains.

“Cassie?” he hears Balthazar ask from across the room. “Are you properly awake this time?”

“Of course I am,” Cas grunts, throwing an arm across his eyes.

Balthazar snorts. “There’s no of course about it. I woke you five times last night and you never really seemed to acknowledge me, I thought I would have to call an ambulance.”

Castiel drops the arm and carefully rolls over to look at Balthazar who is sitting up in bed. “Really?”

Balthazar nods. “Really. From what Dean said before he left, it was quite the same for him.”

“He stayed?” Cas asks, even as yesterday afternoon starts coming back to him, as well as the hazy impression of both Dean and Balthazar waking him at various points throughout the night.

“Yes, quite the service you got,” Balthazar says and Castiel can’t summon the effort to chastise his friend for the innuendo that is layered over every word.

“Crowley’s going to kill me,” he groans.

Balthazar looks worried. “Do you think you’ll be able to compete next week?”

“God, I hope so.”

“Well Coach said you weren’t to come in today, but you can see how you are tomorrow.”

“Great,” Castiel says and Balthazar throws him a commiserating look before swinging his legs out of bed and starting to get ready.

“I’ve got to go now, Cassie, but I’ll see you this evening yeah?”

“Sure, have fun at training,” Cas says miserably and Balthazar laughs.

“Yeah right.”

Castiel tries to get back to sleep, but he’s too worried about his position on the team and too confused by the things Dean had said yesterday to manage it.

His head still hurts a little, but he feels better when he takes some painkillers. He doesn’t have the attention span to do any of his coursework, and light from his laptop aggravates his headache so he spends the day catching up on episodes of the Empire Film podcast that he’d missed over the last weeks.

He finds some unopened ramen and has it for both lunch and dinner, but he doesn’t have much of an appetite anyway.

Balthazar finally returns around seven looking tired.

“How was it?” Cas asks, hitting pause on his phone.

Balthazar flops onto the end of his bed. “Horrendous. Crowley was in a foul mood and yelled about 90% of the time.”

“Oh God,”

“Yeah,”

“Did he… did he say anything about me?”

Balthazar props himself up on his elbows. “Yeah, said if Winchester will clear you for our last practice here in Lawrence, then you can compete in Daytona.”

“Sam?” Cas asks hopefully.

Balthazar rolls his eyes. “No, you idiot. Dean of course.”

Cas sighs. “He’s never going to clear me.”

“He might,” Balthazar says, sounding entirely unconvinced.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,”

“What do you want me to say, Cassie? You know he’s notorious for not letting cheerleaders compete. And clearly Crowley’s been warned about the team’s insurance rates again.”

Castiel knows Balthazar is right, but he still feels heartbroken that he won’t be able to compete for the second year in a row. “Maybe I can convince him.”

Balthazar snorts. “Sure and maybe Professor Rosen will stop dropping by practice to ‘check on the team’ so she can ogle Sam.”

Cas goes to practice the next day. His head doesn’t really hurt anymore and he doesn’t feel dizzy at all anymore, although he does have a massive bruise on his forehead where Anna’s knee hit him.

“Castiel!” Anna hauls him into a tight hug when he walks into breakfast the next morning. “I’m so sorry about what happened. I landed funny and we both somehow just went down. Are you feeling better? We were all so worried!”

Cas returns the hug and then pulls away. “Anna, I’m fine. And it wasn’t your fault at all, my wrist gave out because I didn’t get it taped like I should have.”

Anna doesn’t look convinced, but she smiles at him anyway. “Well, as long as you’re okay.”

The rest of the team greet him cheerfully and when they head to the gym together after breakfast, Cas is in high spirits.

When Crowley walks in, he only glances at Castiel briefly before ordering him to sit on the side-lines. “Everyone else get to warming up. I want four full run-throughs before lunch”, the Coach orders.

Cas smiles at the sympathetic gazes from his teammates and slouches off to sit against the wall. Once the warm-ups have started, Sam joins him.

“How are you feeling?” the assistant coach asks, offering him a friendly smile.

Cas shrugs. “Much better. Ready to get back out there.”

Sam sighs. “Yeah well, give it another couple days and then see what Dean says about you taking part in the final practice.”

“You know he won’t clear me.”

“He just wants what’s best for you guys. Sometimes Crowley and even me aren’t able to see that.”

Cas looks over at Sam, who’s hazel eyes look wide and earnest. “But you think I should compete no matter what he says?”

Sam runs a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. Do I think the team needs you? Absolutely. Do I want you to jeopardise your health for us to win? No, of course not.”

Cas is a little touched by how much Sam obviously cares for him and the whole team. “Can’t you try and convince Dean to let me compete?”

Sam actually laughs at the question. “You’ve met my brother, right? He’s a stubborn as a mule. And like I said, he really does care about you guys.”

“He just doesn’t like cheerleaders,” Cas mutters, a little bitterly.

Sam frowns. “What? Why would you say that?”

Cas shrugs. “Everyone knows it. Dean never wants to work with the cheer team, and he never makes allowances so that we can compete even though we all know he does it for the baseball team.”

Sam looks confused as well as visibly upset. “No, Cas, you guys have got it all wrong. Dean, he –“

Whatever else he is going to say is cut off by Crowley suddenly yelling for Sam to get his ass over there. Sam shoots Cas an apologetic look. “I gotta go, but honestly Cas, Dean doesn’t have a problem with cheerleaders,” he says before he races off to help Crowley.

“Yeah, so he says,” Cas says to Sam’s retreating back.

He stays to watch the team for the morning, but after lunch he figures that he really should do some work for his classes if he can’t train. He says goodbye to the team and promises to meet them all for dinner.

Back in his room he gets a few solid hours of work done, but just as he’s about to leave for dinner, there’s a knock on the door. He frowns, wondering if Balthazar forgot his keys.

Except when he opens the door, Balthazar isn’t there. Instead there’s a slightly nervous looking Dean.

“Hello Dean,” Cas says questioningly, trying not to outright ask what the physiotherapist is doing in his dorm.

“Um, hi Cas,” Dean says, looking a little flustered. “I uh, just wanted to stop by and see how you were feeling. Sam said you weren’t at training yesterday.”

Cas smiles, a warm feeling spreading in his chest that Dean cared enough to come and check on him. This definitely wasn’t part of a physiotherapist’s job description, right? “No, I stayed in yesterday. But I’m better today, feeling more like myself.”

Dean’s answering smile sends even more warmth spreading through Cas. “Good, that’s really good Cas.”

“I wanted to say thank you, for driving me to the ER and… for staying after. You didn’t have to do that.”

Dean looks embarrassed. “Nah, it wasn’t a problem. I was happy to do it. Not happy you were hurt, obviously. Just… yeah, you know what I mean.”

Cas nods, grinning. “Yeah I do.”

“Right,” Dean visibly swallows. “Well, I should probably you go. I’m sure you’ve got things to do.”

Cas shrugs, but Dean starts to leave anyway. “Wait,” Dean stops in his tracks, turning back to Cas. “Do you… Do you maybe want to get some dinner with me?” Cas asks, his stomach tying itself into nervous knots. “I was about to head out to get some food so…”

Dean’s whole face lights up. “Yeah I’d love that! I mean, I haven’t eaten yet either so…”

“Great,” Cas steps out into the hallway and closes his door behind him. “Let’s go then.”

He follows Dean out of the building and surreptitiously sends Balthazar a text to let him know he won’t be getting food in the cafeteria with him.

“So,” Dean says when they get to his car. It looks bigger than Castiel remembers. Shinier too. “Where are you thinking?”

Cas shrugs as he slides in. “I’m good with whatever.”

“Yeah? Crowley doesn’t have you on those power shakes?” Dean asks teasingly.

Cas laughs. “No, those are a myth. None of us actually drink them. Although actually, I think Sam might.”

Dean rolls his eyes. “Of course he does. What a bitch.” Cas sniggers as the pull away from the dorms. “How about I take you to my Aunt Ellen’s place? She makes a mean burger.”

“Sounds good,” Cas says happily.

“Wait, you are twenty-one, right?” Dean asks suddenly, looking over at Cas who nods.

“Yeah, pretty sure I told you that the other day.”

Dean blushes. “Yeah, I wasn’t sure you remembered that. Or if it was true.”

“Of course it’s true. I was concussed, not stupid.” He’s a little affronted, but Dean doesn’t seem to be making fun of him. “Why do I need to be twenty-one? Are we going to a bar?”

Dean nods. “Yeah, The Roadhouse is a bar that also serves food. Just had to make sure.” He pauses for a moment, then says: “I also wanted to make sure I wasn’t being super creepy and driving around with a teenager.”

Cas laughs. “You’re not that much older than me, Dean. Besides, I’m a junior. How on earth would I still be eighteen.”

Dean shrugs. “I don’t know, you seem smart. Like you could have skipped a grade or something.”

“Yeah, not so much,” Cas says. “I was home-schooled, but I don’t think my parents would have let me skip anything.” Dean tenses a little when Cas mentions his parents, and he thinks back to what he said at the hospital. “It’s okay Dean, I remember what I told you. I don’t mind you knowing. It’s not really a secret.”

Dean lets out a breath as if he’d been holding it in. “Still, I don’t know if I said it at the time, but I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Cas repeats and Dean shakes his head.

“It’s not though is it. Parents are supposed to be the first unconditional love you experience, so when they don’t love you the way they’re supposed to…” Dean trails off and shakes his head as if ridding himself of the thoughts. “Sorry, that got way more depressing than I meant it to. I just wanted to say that I get it.”

Cas smiles at him, hoping that Dean can’t see the traitorous tears in the corners of his eyes. “Yeah, I think you do.”

Dean looks a little uncomfortable, so Cas asks him about his day. Dean rolls his eyes. “Ugh, it was fine. A lot of footballers who needed ice-baths.”

Cas laughs at the disgust in his voice. “What, you couldn’t make Charlie do that?”

Dean shudders. “I could never subject her to the stench in their locker room. Or that many naked men.”

“I thought you make her do all the stuff you don’t want to do?” Cas asks, half-teasing, half-serious.

Dean looks at him out of the corner of his eye. “No of course not. I try and save her from the bad stuff. Why? Is this about your opinion that I think you’re all bimbo-monkeys again?”

Cas shrugs. “It wasn’t, but since you brought it up...”

Dean sighs. “Can it wait until I’ve got a drink?”

“You’re driving,” Cas points out and Dean groans.

“Until I’ve got a coke?”

“I suppose.”

“Great, cause we’re here.”

Cas looks out of the window curiously and sees they’ve pulled up outside a slightly seedy looking bar. He looks at Dean who grins and says, “It’s nicer on the inside.”

For once, that actually turns out to be true. The Roadhouse has a homey sort of feel, like a cabin crossed with a 50s diner and when Cas follows Dean inside, they are immediately greeted by a young, blonde woman who reels Dean into a hug. Cas’ stomach sinks a little, seeing how intimate Dean and this woman are and he shuffles his feet, staring at the worn, wooden floorboards while they talk.

“Jo, this is Cas,” Dean says and Cas looks up, offering Jo a small smile. “Cas, this is Jo. She’s my Aunt Ellen’s daughter and the closest thing I have to a sister since Sammy cut his hair last year.”

That last comment earns Dean a smack around the head from an intimidating woman in her early 50s who appears behind him. “Don’t badmouth your brother when he isn’t here to defend himself.”

Dean looks every inch the chastised child when he mumbles a “Sorry, Ellen,” while Jo sniggers next to him. The woman, who must be Ellen, raises an unimpressed eyebrow at the two of them before turning to Cas. “And who is this?”

“Um, I’m Castiel ma’am,” he says politely, trying not to blush when Jo starts laughing again. Dean shoots her a filthy look, then beams at Cas. “You don’t have to call her ma’am, Cas. This is my Aunt Ellen.”

Ellen scowls at Dean. “Don’t you tell this young man off for having the manners you lack, Dean Winchester.” She gives Cas a welcoming smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Castiel. Are you and Dean here for food?” Cas nods a little nervously, but Ellen continues to give him a friendly smile. “Great, well Jo can show you to a table and get you some menus – not that Dean needs one.”

Dean rolls his eyes at Ellen’s retreating back and Jo makes some menus appear, which she brandishes with a flourish. “Right this way,” she says, managing to slap Dean with one of the menus as she passes them.

They follow Jo further into the main room and to a booth in the back corner. When they’re seated she pulls out a notepad and pen. “So, anything to drink?” She pauses and frowns at Castiel. “You are allowed to drink, right? Or is Dean being a pervy old man and corrupting Lawrence’s youth.”

Cas flushes as Dean buries his face in his hands with a “Jesus Christ, Jo.”

“No, I’m twenty-one,” he assures her. “But I’ll stick to a coke, thanks.”

She flashes him a bright smile. “Sure. What about you, Dean?”

“I’ll have the same thanks. And my usual,” he says and Cas quickly glances down at the menu.

“What’s your usual?” he asks and Dean grins.

“A double bacon cheeseburger, extra bacon, extra cheese, with a side of fries,” both Dean and Jo say at the same time. Dean sounds proud, while Jo just sounds bored.

Cas raises his eyebrows. “Oh, well… I’ll just get the same then.”

Jo looks surprised, but nods. “Sure thing. Anything else?”

Dean shakes his head. “Nah, that’s it. Thanks Jo.” She nods and collects their menus, shooting Dean a look that Cas can’t interpret before she leaves.

“Sorry about that,” Dean says when she’s out of earshot. “They’re family, but they can be a bit much sometimes.”

Cas smiles. “No, they seem nice. I’m glad you’re so close with your family.” He thinks a little wistfully of how he and his brothers used to be, before he started turning from the church, before they started to hate him for something he didn’t choose.

Dean shrugs. “Yeah, well. They aren’t blood relatives, but as my Uncle Bobby – who I’m also not related to – likes to say: Family don’t end with blood.”

Cas smiles. “That’s a nice sentiment.”

Dean nods. “Yeah, it’s helped me a lot over the years.”

“So you and your parents…” Cas doesn’t finish the question, and he can understand that Dean probably won’t want to talk about it, but he still kind of wants to know.

“Ah well, it’s kind of complicated. Our mom died when Sammy was a baby, I was about four at the time – house fire. After that… my dad kind of went off the rails. Was convinced it was arson, not an electrical fault like the fire chief said. Dragged us all over the country, before Sam convinced him to let us stay here so he could do High School in the same town for the whole four years,” Dean looks serious, but not upset so Cas feels comfortable enough to ask another question.

“And now… You said something about your dad and my parents having a lot in common, when I had the concussion.”

Dean sighs. “Yeah, well. Dad always was a man’s man kind of guy. Was in the marines, had traditional values, all that garbage. When he found out… he sort of told me to man up and start dating girls, or he’d beat it out of me.” Castiel sucks in a sharp breath and automatically reaches out to take Dean’s hand where it’s resting on the table. Dean glances down, but doesn’t pull away as he continues with his story. “Needless to say, I’ve always been stubborn. Wasn’t going to let him tell me what to do, not when I was eighteen. He probably would have tried to beat it out of me if Bobby hadn’t intervened. I went to stay with him for a while. Dad died a couple of years back, but I didn’t really see him much before then. It’s what he wanted.”

Cas thinks of his own parents, cold and distant and cruel in how they cut him off, but neither they nor his brothers had ever been physically violent with him. “I’m sorry,” he says, squeezing the hand that he’s still holding. It doesn’t feel like enough, but Dean smiles at him all the same.

“Like I said, our parents have a lot in common, but we’re both still here. I have a different family and you, you have your team, right? I can tell they mean a lot to you.”

Cas nods, glad that Dean at least can understand how he feels about his teammates. Before he can say anything, Jo arrives with both their drinks and their food. It looks like an insane amount, but it smells heavenly and his mouth waters a little.

“Enjoy,” Jo says, but thankfully she leaves quickly.

Cas watches Dean digging into his food with relish, and starts in on his own burger. He smiles at how great it tastes and gives Dean a thumbs-up, when he sees him looking at him.

“Good?” the older man asks and Cas nods, doing his best to swallow before he speaks.

“This makes me very happy,” he says and Dean laughs.

“I’m glad.”

They don’t talk much for the next few minutes, each focussed on their own plate. Dean finishes first, settling back in his seat with a satisfied smile. Cas can’t manage the last of his fries and pushes the plate towards Dean. “Do you want the rest?”

Dean shakes his head. “Nah, gotta leave space for pie. Best pie in the state!”

“Is that so?” Cas asks with a laugh and Dean nods earnestly.

“Yep!”

“I’ll have to get some then,” he promises and Dean’s face goes mock serious.

“I’m telling you now, I won’t let you leave here until you’ve tried it.”

Cas scoffs. “Now I know you’re bluffing. Crowley would have my hide if I didn’t show up tomorrow.”

“Yeah, well, Fergus can do one,” Dean mutters, not quite quiet enough for Cas not to hear.

He frowns. “I’ve been meaning to ask about that. Why do you call him Fergus? Even Sam calls him Crowley behind his back, or Coach when he’s talking to him.” Dean scowls and Cas’ brain has a thought. “Is this why you don’t like cheerleading?” He suddenly gasps. “Oh my god, was Balthazar right?”

Dean frowns. “I’ve told you before, I don’t have a problem with cheerleading. And what on earth do you think that kid was right about?”

Castiel’s nose scrunches. “You know, did you two… did you used to?” He can’t quite get the words out, but Dean seems to get the general idea, because he goes a little pale.

“Oh my god, you think I used to sleep with Crowley?” He sounds genuinely nauseated at the idea and Cas holds up placating hands.

“I’m sorry, it’s just you call him Fergus and… well, he called you squirrel when you taped my wrist up in the gym.”

Dean rolls his eyes so hard that Cas is worried he’ll give himself an aneurism. “He’s such a dick. No, he used to be sort of friends with my uncle Bobby. They had a lot of business dealings, car trades and that so he came around the house a lot. He came up with those stupid nicknames. You ever heard him call Sam a moose?” Cas shakes his head and Dean sighs. “Great, it’s just me who’s ridiculed in front of everyone then. Anyway, that’s why he calls me squirrel, and I call him Fergus in return cause no one but his mother calls him that and I like winding him up.”

“I… I suppose that makes sense,” Cas says slowly and Dean looks relieved. “So then Crowley has nothing to do with why you don’t like cheerleading?”

“Crowley has everything to do with it.” He looks up at Cas, and slowly reaches out to cover Cas’ hand the way Cas had held his earlier. “Look, you’ve got to believe me when I say that I have nothing against the sport in general, nothing against you and your teammates.” He pauses and doesn’t seem to want to continue.

Cas flips his hand around under Dean’s and laces their fingers together. “But?” he prompts and Dean smiles a little, looking at their entwined fingers.

“But, how often you guys get hurt? How you’re all so desperate to compete and ‘make mat’ that you ignore injuries? How Crowley doesn’t give a shit about any of you as long as you’re winning trophies and making the school money and increasing his reputation? That’s what I hate about cheerleading. I had to watch Sammy get sucked in and never come out. Sure, he says he took the coaching position to try and help you guys but…” Dean trails off and shakes his head.

Cas isn’t really sure if he should feel offended or concerned or angry, but he doesn’t let go of Dean’s hand. “I… I know it seems that way to you Dean, but – It’s not really all that bad is it?”

Dean fixes him with a serious stare. “Are you going to train again this week and then compete in Daytona after you just had a serious concussion – and with a dodgy wrist?”

“Dean,”

“Answer the question, Cas.” 

It’s the first time Cas has really seen just how stubborn Dean really is, and the green eyes boring into his let him know that Dean won’t back down. “It depends,” he says finally.

“On what?”

On you, Cas wants to say. But does he want to put that pressure on Dean? Does he want to strain this – whatever this is between them? Cas isn’t really sure what’s going on, but he knows Dean doesn’t go out for dinner with any other cheerleaders and he doesn’t take such an interest in any of the others either. “Why do you even care?” he asks, just as mulish as Dean.

“I care about all of the student athletes,” Dean says, pulling his hand away. He looks sincere, but there’s something about the slight flush in his cheeks, the way he can’t quite meet Cas’ eyes.

Cas shakes his head. “No, you’ve never gotten this involved with the cheer team before. You usually get Charlie to sort us out unless it’s a really serious injury.”

“Cas,” Dean says and it sounds half like a warning, half like a plea.

“Just tell me, Dean,” Cas snaps and Dean glares.

“I like you, alright?” Dean spits. “When Sam brought you into my office, I remembered you from when you broke your wrist. I thought back then that you were… well, cute. But you had just broken your wrist and after that I never really saw you. So when Sam dragged you in and you were being all stubborn about it I thought maybe I could get to know you a little. Maybe ask you out, eventually. I’m sorry I let it get this far, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” He’s bright red when he finishes speaking, the freckles on his face standing out darkly against his flushed skin. Dean slides out of the booth, getting to his feet. “I’ll get you an Uber and then I’ll be out of your hair, okay?”

“No,” Cas says and Dean looks like he wants to crawl out of his own skin.

Nevertheless, he turns back to look at Cas. “You can’t walk back to your dorm, it’s too far.”

Cas shakes his head. “No, wait. You can’t… you can’t just drop all that on me and run away.” Dean looks torn between running and staying, but he hasn’t left. Yet. “So… you like me?”

Dean nods, jaw clenched tightly.

Cas takes a breath and nods. “And you were going to ask me out?” Dean nods again, still looking like he’s hoping to be struck down. “Then why haven’t you?”

Dean’s whole body goes rigid. “Wh- what are you saying, Cas?” he asks, hands clenched tightly into fists by his sides.

Cas slowly gets to his feet and carefully reaches out for one of Dean’s hands, unfurling his fingers that were curled so tightly they had gone white. “I’m saying, that I like you too. I think we both have a lot in common and… Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve met someone who cares about me as much as you seem to.”

“So,” Dean says slowly. “So if I were to ask you out.”

“I would say yes,” Cas says quickly and he almost laughs in delight at how Dean’s whole face lights up. “But,” he says and he wants to kick himself when Dean’s whole demeanour deflates like a punctured balloon. “No, Dean I do want to go out with you. I just think maybe we should wait. Until the competition is over.”

Dean frowns. “Why?”

Cas sighs. “Because whether or not I compete depends entirely on you. Crowley won’t let me be on mat unless you clear me.”

Dean tugs his hand away from Cas. “And you won’t go out with me, if I don’t clear you?”

“No!” Cas says, loudly enough that the people at the next table over turn to look at them. “God, of course not,” he says a little quieter this time. “No, I just don’t want you to feel like you have to make a different decision because we’re going out.”

“Oh,” Dean looks upset, though whether it's at himself or still at Cas isn’t clear. “I’m sorry.”

Cas shakes his head. “No, I shouldn’t have waited to tell you that.”

Dean sighs. “This is all getting pretty complicated, huh? All I really wanted was to ask out a cute cheerleader. How did we end up spilling secrets and arguing already?”

Cas laughs. “I don’t know, but things can only go up from here, right?”

“Yeah,” Dean nods. “I guess so.”

Cas retakes his seat. “We still haven’t had that pie you spoke so highly about?” he suggests in a transparent attempt to get their evening back on track.

Dean hesitates a moment before sitting down again too. “Yeah, can’t leave without having a slice.” He smiles hesitantly. “Why don’t I go up to the bar and order?” He’s already on his feet before Cas can say anything. He watches Dean until he rounds the corner to the bar and let’s out a gust of air. He isn’t entirely sure about how the evening ended up here, but he can’t help the smile that appears on his face when he thinks about Dean saying that he likes him. I thought you were cute, he had said. No one had ever said that about him. Balthazar liked to tease him about being too pretty for his own good, but no one had ever seemed as serious as Dean did. The little experience he had was mostly with drunk people at parties, who rarely even looked him in the eye and certainly didn’t want to take him out for dinner.

Dean still hasn’t returned and Cas taps his fingers on the table in an uneven rhythm. When another five minutes have passed, Cas decides to go and check on him, just to make sure Dean hasn’t panicked and ditched him – not that he thinks it’s likely, but still.

He heads towards the bar and almost sighs a little when he sees Dean’s broad shoulders. He walks up to him and stops just short when he sees he’s with someone.

“Dean,” Cas says and Dean spins, looking mildly panicked.

“Cas,” he says at the same time as Sam looks around from behind Dean.

“Cas,” Sam says, frowning.

“Sam,” Cas nods, sending Dean a questioning look.

Dean shoots him a nervous grin. “I was just telling Sammy that I was here for dinner.”

Sam nods, a frown on his face. “Yeah, but you neglected to tell me that you were here with Cas.” Cas and Dean share a slightly guilty look and Sam sighs. “I don’t want to know,” he says, turning away from them. “I never even saw you here.”

“Why are you here?” Dean asks accusingly and Cas is surprised to see Sam go bright red.

“Well,” he stutters. “Same as you, I'm just here for some dinner.”

Dean frowns. “You don’t like burgers. You’re always telling me how they’re super unhealthy and how much better the food at that vegan place you love is for you.”

Sam opens his mouth, then promptly closes it again when they hear someone calling his name. “Sam,” a voice calls again and then Jess is hurrying over to join them. “Sorry, I’m late,” she says and Sam mumbles something while Dean gives him a look that promises torture later.

“Hi, Jess,” Cas says amicably, trying to distract from the silent conversation the Winchesters currently seem to be having.

Jess beams at him. “Hi Cas, what are you doing here?”

“Just having dinner,” Cas says, studiously avoiding looking at Dean who seems about two minutes away from putting Sam in a headlock. “Did you finally ask Sam out?” he asks, his voice low enough that neither brother should be able to hear him.

Jess goes a little pink, but nods. “Yeah, I just thought: why not? The season will be over in a week and this is my last year at college.”

Cas grins. “I’m happy for you.”

Jess looks over her shoulder at Sam and Dean who are both glaring at each other and raises her eyebrows. “Are you here with Dean?” Cas shuffles his feet and shrugs. Jess laughs. “Oh Cas, I’m not surprised. We all thought it was odd he was offering to tape you up, when he usually avoids cheer like the plague.” Cas flushes and Jess giggles, but it seems Sam and Dean have finished whatever it was they were doing, because Dean suddenly throws an arm around Cas and starts steering him back towards their table. Cas waves at Jess, who waves back, and lets himself be led away.

“Did you two sort yourselves out then?” he asks, when he and Dean are both seated again.

Dean scowls. “That bitch, yeah we’re fine. Just can’t believe he was trying to give me a hard time when…” He trails off when he sees Cas’ raised eyebrows and rolls his eyes. “Doesn’t matter. All that matters is that I’ve ordered pie.”

“That’s all that matters?” Cas asks and Dean nods seriously.

“It’s orgasmic,” he says, just as Jo arrives at their table holding two plates with their slices of pie on it.

“Ew, Dean,” she says, placing the pie on the table. “Go be disgusting somewhere else.”

“You’re disgusting,” Dean counters childishly and Jo flips him off before stomping away.

Cas laughs and Dean looks a little sheepish, before being summarily distracted by the pie in front of him. Cas picks up a forkful of pie.

“Best in the state?” he asks and Dean nods, mouth already full. Cas grins and takes a bite. Dean’s right. The pie is amazing.

“You like it?” Dean asks, actually managing to look nervous and Cas nods enthusiastically.

“This might be the best pie I’ve ever eaten.”

Dean beams at him and Cas can’t help but smile back.

They finish their dessert and Dean insists on paying. Cas protests, but Dean just waves him off and leaves Jo a generous tip.

They pass Sam and Jess on their way out and Cas waves, but neither of them acknowledge him, too wrapped up in each other. Out in the parking lot, Cas shivers a little – it’s chillier than he expected, but thankfully the car isn’t far.

Dean follows him round to the passenger side and makes to open the door for Cas, when he stops. Cas looks at him questioningly and then Dean’s hand is slowly making its way up to his cheek.

“Can I?” Dean asks and Cas says yes before he even knows what he’s agreeing to and then Dean is dragging him into a kiss.

It’s brief, a hard press of lips against his, before Dean is letting go of him and stepping away.

“Sorry, I know you wanted to wait,” Dean says, eyes wide. “I just… I’ve wanted to do that since I met you.”

Cas smiles. “Me too.”

“Yeah?” Dean looks giddy and he leans in for another kiss, more insistent this time, shuffling Cas backwards until his back hits the car and Dean is pressed up along his front.

“We should, um,” Cas says, when they break apart, not even really sure what he’s trying to say. Dean nods, stepping away and running a hand through his hair.

“Yeah, it’s cold. And late.” But still he pulls Cas in for one more kiss before he opens the door for him and rounds the car to slide in the driver’s side. Cas gets in the car with his head spinning and a stupid smile on his face.

Dean drives him back to his dorm and Cas can’t resist tugging Dean’s face towards him for a goodnight kiss that turns into more of a make-out session.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Cas asks and Dean nods.

“Come to my office before training.”

Cas smiles, leans in for one last kiss, and finally, finally gets out of the car. He waves at Dean before he heads into his building and hears the roar of the engine when the door closes behind him.

Balthazar is already in bed when Cas slips into their room.

“Where’ve you been?” his roommate mumbles while Cas gets changed.

“Just out, felt like something other than cafeteria food,” he says, shrugging. It’s a testament to how tired Balthazar must be that he just grumbles and rolls over, but Cas knows he won’t be so lucky tomorrow.

“Night,” Balthazar grunts as Cas gets into bed.

“Good night,” Cas says, smiling up at the ceiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this, it's a little longer that the others!
> 
> Side note: the Empire Film Podcast is my absolute favourite podcast and I highly recommend it to each and every one of you
> 
> Final chapter should be up this weekend!

**Author's Note:**

> So I have three of the four chapters written, so this should be uploaded in it's entirety by the end of this week!
> 
> As always lmk what you think: if you hated/loved/were indifferent towards this fic. Thank you for reading and I hope you're all staying safe atm!
> 
> Feel free to yell at me on [tumblr](https://hefellfordean.tumblr.com/ask)


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